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Bilateral TKR done on Dec 2, 2016<

Oh yes, I sure do push the cart, practically hover on it, no relief for long, half way through, I kiss the wife, apologize in my frustration, dig out my cane and pass the cart on to her as I get to the van. Yeah...I know id be a lot better off with less weight, i'm doing my best, headaches from lack of o2 during the night and lack of rest, Lord help me and all my friends on here, lol
 
Poor thing. So many reasons for feeling bad. Anything good happened lately? I ask because sometimes its nice to think of even tiny positives. Sounds like you had a nice time at church.
I was so happy on my first trip driving myself to the local shop and the staff gave me such a lovely welcome back. They had sent a cake via my daughter just after my TKR. The world is full of lovely people but you don't hear about that on the news!
 
@KarriB I wanna say thank you so much, youve been so much help, along with many others, I did read the activity progression but along with my brain fog and my desire to push thinkin Im gonna be the exception to the rule, I kinda got lost in that, I'm so surprised daily how sleepy I get. I've been up since 5am, been awake since 3am, woke up at 1am, laid awake for an hr, then as I just layed out details in reverse, haha,

I have not done much today, and now I'm ready to go back to bed, lol...........why am I so surprised? I cant get my mind around how darn draining this all is and also the rubbish sleep?? Big mystery huh??

I think I have it in my head that everyone in my face, (the OS and PT therapist) treats this like I should be farther along and PT is the answer to all my problems. Example...my PA at the OS office last appt, was ready to send me back to work at 6 weeks?? I was like what?? Heck no, and my therapists commented at 4 weeks that he was surprised to see me still pushing the walker, I'm definitely confused here, lol
 
@Spex10 yeah, I do miss the good things that come, I'm so obsessed with this race to get well, I have trouble accepting that it may not come in time to fix all the worries and concerns that face me should I not go back after 12 weeks, but we've covered all that and I'm sorry but it still bothers me daily, as the bread winner and as I admit I really can't afford to be off work much more and losing my insurance. I'm a bit unsettled, to say the least.

I cant relate to 'don't worry about it', admittedly, I have unresolved issues that originate from my childhood and teen years of severe abuse and neglect the only way I keep my head on straight is too be out in front and keep the torch lit. I've worked really hard all my life, wound up raising my children alone on only my earnings and never had much support of a loving family and therefore I don't know much about keeping my chin up in the conventional sense that one hears about all the time. I didn't mean to drop that bomb on everyone but what the heck, maybe it'll help someone else, :)
 
Hi Clay. I am sorry you are having such a hard time. You have already gotten some great advice so I will only add a couple of things I might be able to help with. I don't know what kind of CPAP or mask that you have, but mine has an adjustment for changing the temperature of the air. If yours has that you might try turning your air a little cooler. Also I wear a nose pillow instead of a full face mask. This will only work if you are not a mouth breather, but I find it very comfortable and much less confining than a face mask. The other thing is that you might try benedryl to help you sleep. I have heard others on the board that say it helps. Hang in there. It will get better.
 
Notice that you said "RACE" to get well. Unfortunately this is not a race. It's a slow and winding road to get to the end. If you can just accept where you are not and not try to force your body to go faster than it is ready to do so I think you will feel much better about yourself. Sleep whenever you are tired. It doesn't matter whether it's 3am or 3pm. Just accept for now that's the way it is going to be. If you go to the store again ride a motorized cart .

Are you wearing new shoes? If not getting a new pair is a good idea. If your legs were not straight prior to surgery the shoes you had before surgery may have a wear pattern from your old gait. It could be throwing you off now. I wear sneakers at work. I went to a local store that caters to runners. They looked at the wear pattern of my old shoes, measure my feet and watched my gait. They then suggested a couple of pairs for me. While this may cost more than getting just any new pair it made a big difference for me.
 
I'm sorry you're having such a bad time. I bet that sleep deprivation is making things worse for you. They use that for torture!
The impulse to action when things get bad is usually a good one but its soooo frustrating when you really can't get doing stuff. I hope your kids are helping out btw. Sounds like they owe you!
 
Maybe you should print out the chart and leave it around the house. :heehee:

Sleep was incredibly hard for me too. I hated to see night come because I knew I'd lay awake with the tv on. Tylenol pm may help you get back into a sleep pattern, but it might still be too early. I know two months seems like a long time, but in the scheme of things it's a short time. I also had tremendous brain fog, I couldn't read a book until 4-5 months post op. As a teacher, that was very difficult to handle.

I went back to work part time at 12 weeks after I begged my OS to write the script. He wanted me to wait, but I had already taken three weeks longer than planned and worried that I'd hope through all my sick days and have nothing left if the infection came back. As a single person I had my own financial responsibilities, no one took care of me financially but me. So I understand where you are. But trying to race through this could make it longer. Focus on the things you can do without pain.

This recovery is long and quite possibly the most difficult thing I ever went through, but I was able to go back part tin at 12 weeks and full time at 18 because I took it easy. I walked as best I could which was sloooooow. My first graders would pass me as we walked down the hall. But I was walking and that's what mattered.
 
I was using my walker up to 6 weeks and used the motorized carts at the same time and I had only 1 done. I think you're expecting too much too soon. Please try and not worry about it. With all your stress you're making it even worse. When stressed out your body won't heal as well. Since you go to church, will you just put your recovery into God's hands and then not be concerned about it? He always does what's best for His children.
 
@sistersinhim, you know? thats right! sometimes someone has to remind us what we already know and more embarrassingly, what we've suggested to others in a similar spot, I am going to start this minute and take your advise and God willing I wont fret another minute about any of it, If I feel myself going there, I will remind myself of your words, Thank you so much, You pray for me ok and I will post my periodic milestones as I recognize them, I so wanna win at this, and I know I can.
 
I'm sorry you're feeling a bit blue, Clay. Do try not to let other people's expectations make you feel you are behind and should be doing better. Most of them haven't been through a knee replacement and they have no idea how much recovery can differ from one person to another.
We advise people not to compare their progress to anyone else's because every knee is different and so is every recovery.

The important thing to remember is that your knees are in charge of their recovery . They will recover on their own schedule, not on anyone else's. They know what they're doing and they're going to end up just fine.
It's only natural to feel "I should be doing better than this", but your knees are saying "Not yet, my friend."
Where are you in recovery?? (TKR)
You are exactly where you need to be.

As for the fatigue, you've had both knees done, so you're suffering from a double whammy of it. Almost all your energy is still being directed towards heling those knees. Remember this article?
Energy drain for TKRs
 
@Celle shwew!! this is me, lol
4. double the demand on your body for healing and recovery
~~~ as said in items 1, 2 and 3.

I would therefore advise that, since people are frequently totally unprepared for the impact of surgery on their bodies and their general stamina from one replacement, it's often the case that recovery from a bilateral anything is more of an uphill struggle. This is okay if you are mentally and psychologically prepared but can be extremely distressing and frustrating if you are not.
 
I agree with you, Clay.
Unfortunately, far too many people go into having a knee replacement without being prepared for a long, slow recovery. That sets them up for frustrataion adn disappointment, until they realise that things just don't happen fast.

I sometimes think that surgeons don't warn their patients in advance how long recovery takes, because they think it might put people off having the much-needed surgery.
 
I started reading this site 6 months before my replacement. It brought me so much comfort to know what to expect. My OS never gave me an idea what to expect except to say that I'd hate him for about 3 months. That's it. That was the extent of his preparation for me! Because of my previous 10 surgeries, I knew I didn't need pt to rehab my knee. That was a huge load off of my mine after reading so many horror stories about the pain pt was causing. And Clay, I most definitely will be praying for you, as will many others on this site. You will be fine. After all you have the Great Physician carrying you in His arms. In my weakest time I try hard to just let it go and trust Him to take care of me. And, you know, He always has. Maybe not in the time I wanted Him to, but He knows best, not me!
 
@Hope-4-clay. I am only 12 days out bilateral. I read this site voraciously for months before surgery and thought I was prepared for the good, bad and the ugly. But I wasn't ready for the pain, for the progress so slow that you can't discern a change from day to day and the emotional ups and down. after discovering yesterday that instead of my bend getting less in week (which I was positive it had) I had actually gained 10 degrees it's make me more determined to shift my mind to the bigger picture to get thru the day to day ups and down. Keep battling on!
 
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I love my CPAP mask - Zest. Also bought 3 great ice packs at my Chiropractor - Colpac
Can probably find them on line. Iced all the time. Also do only ONE activity a day that involves walking.


Sent from my iPhone using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543
 
I can't express enough how much all of the people on this site have helped me. I think I've finally gotten the peace and accepting of this crazy procedure and its s l o w healing
I only hope I can go on to help others that are struggling in this craziness. Lol.
God is good! He's got this!

And yes I agree that the surgeons don't really stress what patients are about to go through. All mine said was "just prepare to work hard, and I think we can help ya. Well I worked hard everyday and had no idea what he meant. I'm exactly 60 days post op and I sleep pain free now with only 2 acetaminophen PM for the rest factor and the pain deadening advantages.

When I wanna get up I ease my legs over the edge - OUCHY - and position myself upright. I have a Reebok type step thing for my feet cause my bed is kinda high. That stand up always means I have to stand still for a minute as to let things warm up. 1st steps are always a bit imperfect and shaky, uncomfortable, to be honest they all are, unless I use a walker to center and avoid the side to side shoulder shift.

I spend my day walking a bit around the house, playing on the web and I exercise everyday with my bike and do my lifts and slides and whatnot. I see my PA again on the 20th February. That'll be day 80. I'm expecting to have a good ck. But be given more time off because I'm confident that I will not be ready for the very physical demands that my job demands.

Thanks you all
 
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I'm happy to hear that you today seems to be a better day for you. :yes:
 
It is.
I still can't get over how, say, I'm getn ready to go do something and just like a light switch. My body goes into tired mode. I mean like That!
Change of plans. I'm goin back to bed for a while. Lol
 
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